Traders at APMC Vashi oppose 5% GST on unregistered brands, GROMA to launch nationwide protest

The Grain Rice and Oilseeds Merchant Association (GROMA) has decided to protest against the decision of the GST Council to levy 5% GST on unbranded food items. They say that this will not only push inflation but will severely impact small traders as they work on a very thin margin and their survival will be at stake.

Early this week, in the meeting of the GST Council chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the decision to impose 5 percent GST on various essential food items like rice, pulses, and flour included in unbranded cereals. This has angered small and medium traders.

According to the decision, GST will be implemented from July 18. With this decision, there is a lot of anger among the small and medium traders of the country.

Bhimji Bhanushali, Secretary of Navi Mumbai GROMA says that a meeting of traders will happen on July 7 in Pune and accordingly a decision will be taken. “Traders across India are protesting against the decision and if required, we will close the market to protest the decision,” said Bhanushali.

He added that the Prime Minister had said that GST will not be levied on various essential food items like rice, dal, flour, milk, and curd. “Like the Farm laws, they will have to take back 5% GST on unregistered food items,” said Bhanushali.

Even a section of traders described the decision as a Tughlaqi Order of the Center and demanded its withdrawal. They claim that traders will agitate all over the country, and around 6500 mandis in the country will unite and launch a movement against this decision.

Bhanushali said that only 5 percent of people pay GST in the whole country. Rest 95 percent of people are not registered, they do business with unbranded food grains and the GST was not applicable to them to date. But all this is happening with the connivance of the corporate sector. “On the one hand, the central government is distributing ration free of cost, on the other hand, it is increasing the burden of high inflation on traders and the common man by imposing 5 percent GST on unbranded food grains,” he added.

Published on: Saturday, July 02, 2022, 07:45 PM IST